Fatherly Duties II: Like Father Like Son
by TM Twilight Girl
Summary: Sequel to Fatherly Duties, set after Breaking Dawn. Edward and Bella now have a child of their own to raise. Carlisle advises them to take a more hands-on approach to her discipline. This is a set of stories that chronicle how he and Bella handle her misbehavior. WARNING: Spanking of a child. If you don't like that sort of thing, don't read, and please don't flame.
1. Chapter 1 - Talent

**Author's Note: I recently re-read my Fatherly Duties story and wanted to continue on. This time, Edward is the parent, and will have to deal with both the trials of raising a child and with his own father who is perfectly willing to metaphorically tan his hide should he step out of line. This story will have completely original plot lines because it all happens after Breaking Dawn. On the other hand, this won't be a long, complicated story. It will be vignettes and may not all be from Edward's POV. Also, this isn't a planned story. I will be happy to listen to suggestions for chapters.**

**Like my other story, it will have disciplinarian spankings. And like my other story, sadly, I don't own Twilight.**

Fatherly Duties II: Like Father, Like Son

Chapter 1: Talent

Edward POV

Raising Renesmee is one of the greatest joys in my life. I never expected that I could ever father a child. I had assumed that it was not possible, but to my horror, it was. As soon as I found out that Bella had conceived, I tried to terminate her pregnancy. I thought that any child fathered by a vampire would be evil.

Bella disagreed. She fought to protect our child from me. She called the one person in our family that she knew would protect our baby above all else. She called Rosalie. Bella was brilliant in her choice. She knew that Rosalie would allow her to sacrifice herself to allow our child to live. What she didn't know was that Emmett would support his wife and keep me from going through Rosalie to get to Bella. She also didn't anticipate that Esme would support her decision. She too was beside Bella supporting her through her pregnancy even though she did not hold our child's life above Bella's the way Rosalie had.

Carlisle agreed with me in principle, but he would never forcibly end Bella's pregnancy. He only agreed to perform the termination because he thought I had spoken to Bella about it. Jasper agreed with me, but only because Alice did. Alice was on my side because she couldn't see our child or Bella in her visions. Alice and I were both afraid of what we couldn't see again, as we had been with Jacob. Ironically, Jacob was my most ardent supporter. He and I both tried to talk Bella into aborting the child. I even suggested that if she wanted a child, I offered to let Jacob give her one.

In the end, Bella was stubborn, and she was right. Our child was capable of love and emotional growth and she has been a real blessing in our lives. We named our little angel Renesmee.

Our blessing was nearly destroyed when the Volturi came to annihilate our family. Both Bella and I had thought that this would be the end of our existences, but the Volturi reconsidered when they saw that a fight with us would be devastating to them as well. When they left us, we all breathed a collective sigh of relief and started living out our forever.

Forever with a child, even a half-vampire, is not without its challenges. Even though she is gifted, both naturally and supernaturally, she is still a child. Renesmee whines on occasion. She misbehaves. And she seemed to inherit my talent for manipulation.

Shortly after she turned six months old (although she looked like a six year old), Carlisle advised us that she needed a little more _hands-on_ discipline. He told us the longer we allowed her to behave this way, the harder it would be for us to begin correcting her.

After that conversation with Carlisle, we warned Nessie that she would be spanked for disobedience or manipulation. I could tell by her thoughts that she didn't believe that we would actually follow through.

She was very surprised three days later when she ended up over my knee getting five swats. I had put her to bed while Bella was out with the girls, and she kept coming out over and over until I finally told her to quit stalling and go to bed or she would get a spanking. She came out again for her third drink of water, and I carried her to my bedroom and gave Renesmee her first spanking.

I tried not to be too harsh with her first spanking for two reasons. First, her disobedience wasn't the end of the world. She'd gotten out of bed for a drink, not exactly a capital crime. Second, it was her first, and my first spanking (on the administering end, anyway). I went through with it though, because she was definitely testing me, and I knew it would escalate from there if I didn't put a lid on this now. That being said, I was probably too easy on her because she seemed more shocked than hurt. Although she cried, it was only a few tears.

Three days later, I was up to bat again when she refused to go hunting. She tried to convince me that grandpa had plenty of "the good blood" and stamped her foot on the ground in an act of defiance. Once again, we made the trip to my bedroom and she received five swats, and then we went hunting. I put a little more force into it that time. She pouted the whole time we were out.

After about five trips to my bedroom with Renesmee, I had mastered the art of the minor spanking. She hadn't done anything that warranted a major spanking yet, and so I had only given her five swats per incident. She was, after all, still very young. Her first _big_ spanking came when she was nearly nine months old.

I came home from hunting with Emmett and Jasper and went straight to our cottage. Bella was not there, but Jacob was. He was sitting in our living room doing his homework, and Nessie was in her room screaming and banging on the floor. This was by far the most outrageous uproar my daughter had created.

"Do I need to take care of this?" I asked him, staring down the hall at my daughter's door.

"You'd better go to the main house and talk to Bella first." Jacob told me. "I can handle things here until you come back."

"Can you at least tell me what the problem is?" I asked him.

"This?" Jacob laughed. "She's mad at me because I told her that she had to stay in there until _you_ came to get her."

"Bella sent her to her room?" I started to become wary.

"Apparently, Ness is in trouble." He explained, but refused to elaborate.

"And Bella left you in charge to make sure she obeyed?" I found that hard to believe.

"Bella was upset, and I suggested that she go speak with Carlisle." Jacob explained. "I told her I would watch Ness until you got back, but I think you should go talk to Bella before you go in there with Nessie."

"And this little outburst is because…?" I drawled, hoping that he would shed some light on this.

"She thought I would let her out when Bella went to see Carlisle." Jacob laughed.

"And you made her stay?" I asked him in astonsihment. "I thought you would give her anything she wants."

"No, I give her everything she needs." He corrected me. "Right now, she needs this… and _Bella_ needs to talk to you."

"Of course, my apologies." I excused myself and ran to the main house.

Before I even got there, I could hear Bella's sobs and Carlisle comforting her.

"I will not spank you for this, Bella." He told her. "You've done nothing wrong."

"Y-y-y-you didn't see what she thought of me." Bella wept.

Not wanting to get any more of this second-hand, I sprinted up to Carlisle's study.

The door was closed, and so I knocked. I knew better than to barge in on a private time with Carlisle and one of the others.

"Come in Edward." Carlisle told me as if he'd been expecting me for a while.

"Do _you _know why Renesmee is in her room having a tantrum?" I asked Carlisle. I could see that Bella was in no shape to answer me.

"Don't you see, dad?" Bella howled in anguish. "I abused her!"

"You did not, sweet pea." Dad told her, sounding very much like he had told her many times, and she didn't listen. Though Bella was a wonderful mother with what seemed an unending supply of patience for our daughter, she constantly doubted her ability.

From Bella's emotional outburst, I guessed that she must have had to spank our daughter for the first time. I had been the sole disciplinarian in our family because Bella had feared that she wouldn't control her strength. She knew that she would probably have to do it eventually, and so she asked me for a demonstration of the strength that I used on Nessie. I put a pillow over my knee and showed her the force I used to discipline our daughter, but Bella wanted more _hands-on_ instruction. She asked me to spank _her_ the same way I spanked our daughter.

Before I was willing to spank my wife, I talked to Carlisle. I was surprised that he actually thought it was a great idea, and suggested that I allow her to practice on me once I had demonstrated it to her. I actually hoped that he wouldn't agree with her. I struggled with upbringing and constantly tried to assert authority over her. Having her over my knee would reinforce my outdated way of thinking. And that's why Carlisle suggested she practice on me, to even the playing field.

Even though we both knew she had the ability to instantly mimic what I had done, she asked for five repeat performances. I hesitated, but she begged me, not wanting to get this wrong on our daughter. I relented, knowing that the force I used on Renesmee wouldn't be enough to cause Bella any more than a mild discomfort because our skin is much tougher than our daughter's.

From the very first practice run, Bella used the appropriate amount of force, and I had no doubt that she would do wonderfully when it was her turn. This time, I insisted that she practice five more times, both wanting to give her confidence in her ability and so that we were even.

"Yes I did!" Bella sobbed, bringing me out of my memory. "I must have not controlled my strength enough! I should have waited for Edward or called you to help me! I'm a monster!"

"None of that, Isabella." He commanded her in his _dad _voice.

"But…" Bella argued, perpetually eager to accept the blame for everything.

As soon as she started to say the word, Carlisle flipped her into a prone position over his lap.

"I will not spank you for this, Isabella Maria Cullen." He repeated, adding her full name. "But I will not allow you to continue to argue with me. You. Did. Not. Abuse. Your. Daughter."

I stood in shock, hoping like hell that Bella would not provoke him any further and make me witness her get a spanking from dad. It was very rare for Carlisle to punish anyone in front of another person, but he sometimes would if the one receiving the spanking couldn't get in control of themselves. I feared that Bella was trying to bait him into spanking her so that she could feel that she was punished for hurting Renesmee.

_I do not intend to spank her, Edward. _Carlisle addressed my fears silently. _But I need her to calm down and listen to me. I have put her in this submissive position to help her focus._

He was right. Bella immediately broke down sobbing. Before, Bella's posture was rigid as she argued with dad and tore herself apart emotionally. Now, she cried limply over his knees. He stroked her back lovingly allowing her to calm herself but at the same time, reminding her that he was in charge.

"Are you in control enough to lift your shield and show Edward why you think you went too far with Renesmee?" Carlisle asked her while she remained face down over his lap.

She nodded and breathed a great sigh as I felt her mind open up to me.

Bella started the memory with Nessie over her lap. Nessie fought like a rabid wolverine while Bella held her still. Bella delivered the first swat, and our precious little angel became even more desperate to get away, and she screamed like she was being killed. Even from Bella's memory, I could tell that Nessie was engaging in theatrics. Bella recalled witnessing me spanking our child, and Nessie didn't behave like that at all. She feared that she was not spanking her correctly.

But… Bella pressed on and delivered a second, this time less forceful stroke. I doubt this even hurt our… little_ spoiled brat_. Still, Nessie howled and kicked like an unbroken horse. Bella quickly administered the last three swats and attempted to comfort our daughter.

While Bella held her, Nessie reached up and touched Bella's face, and the picture Nessie showed her was shocking. I could tell that this was Nessie's manufactured thoughts, not actually what happened, but Bella felt that this was how Renesmee saw the spanking. Bella's face was contorted in rage as she beat Nessie mercilessly. The child inside the memory became younger and younger until Bella was thrashing a baby.

At this point, Bella became distressed again. Her shield snapped back into place, and the thoughts in her mind became private again. As she told the story, I became disappointed that our daughter had hurt Bella in that way, but more than anything, I was angry with myself. I saw what Renesmee had done as a reflection of how I had manipulated Bella time and again, especially when she was human. I knew the hurt I had caused Bella with my behavior, and I refused to let Renesmee behave the way I had.

Without a word to Bella or Carlisle, I turned and walked out the door and toward our cottage where Renesmee probably continued to have her tantrum.

"Wait!" Carlisle commanded. "You will not discipline your daughter until you've calmed down."

"I'm calm enough." I refused to listen to him, though I was still very upset, absolutely loathing myself. "This ends today."

Before I could reach the front door, Bella appeared in front of me blocking my path. I had no idea how she got off of Carlisle's lap to get to the door before I did. I was usually faster than she was.

_You will not abuse our daughter._ I heard Bella's thoughts once again. The look in her eye was murderous.

_You will come back to my office and sit down, Edward. _Carlisle thought to me with a vivid image that showed me the thrashing I could expect should I refuse to obey him right now.

I threw my hands up in a surrender to show Bella that she didn't need to attack me, and I turned and made my way back to Carlisle's office. Bella followed me, still on the brink of growling at me. I could hear her teeth clenching together in absolute fury.

When we got back to Carlisle's office, I could see from his thoughts that Bella had not yet returned to a state of tranquility, confirming my suspicion that she was ready to pounce on me should I try to outmaneuver her and get to our daughter. I didn't let her know that I was concerned about her temperament at the moment. I simply strode to the chair and sat down.

As soon as Bella saw that I meant our daughter no harm, her face quickly changed from lethal to calm and then instantly to guilt-ridden. I had thought she was feeling ashamed that she had threatened me, but I was mistaken. I was taken aback when Bella hung her head and ran over to Carlisle, dropped to her knees and began crying.

"I-I-I'm sorry, dad!" She wept in distress. "I didn't mean…"

"Shhh," dad whispered in hushed tones to Bella as he reached down and stroked her face. "I could see that you meant to stop Edward."

"You're not upset?" She sighed in relief. "Even though I defied you?"

"You did no such thing." He assured her. "Sit in my lap, sweet pea." He helped her stand even though it was completely unnecessary. "Unless you feel that you need to lie across again?"

"No, dad." She shook her head. "I… I can control myself."

He smiled at her and kissed the top of her head, proud of her. _Clearly you're a monster, Bella._ He thought sarcastically, mentally rolling his eyes at that notion. I forced my lips together into a line to suppress a laugh.

"Why did you stop Edward, Bella?" He asked her, knowing the answer already.

"He _can't_ spank her when he's like that!" She shouted more at me than dad. He squeezed her lightly to show his support.

"I wasn't angry with _her_, love." I tried to explain. "I…"

"Do you think that matters?" Bella yelled at me, piercing me with an angry gaze.

"You're right, Bella. It does not." Carlisle answered her rhetorical question to me. "Edward could be angry with me or Jacob, or anyone, and it would still be wrong to discipline Renesmee in that state."

"Are you angry with _me_?" Bella asked me in a small, unsure voice.

"I'm angry with myself, love." I promised her, closing my eyes and swallowing. "She reminds me of myself, and I don't want her to end up hurting you the way I did when you were human."

"You're forgiven, Edward." Bella reminded me.

"I know that." I admitted. "But that doesn't stop me from making the connection between what I did to manipulate you, and what our daughter did."

"You don't think I mistreated her?" Bella asked, still very insecure.

_Edward, your wife is hurting. Shouldn't you be over here, comforting her instead of all the way across the room?_ Carlisle admonished me.

I nodded once to him and sat next to them on the couch, mentally slapping myself on the forehead. Initially, I had not intruded because it looked like they were having a moment. When I returned, I sat on the chair to put some distance between Carlisle and myself after disobeying him, but that was immature. I should have been comforting her from the moment she started crying again.

"No, of course not." I assured her, taking her hands in mine. "You stopped me from facing her in anger, and even told me that you wouldn't let me abuse her."

"You're a wonderful mother, sweet pea." Carlisle added. "You remind me very much of Esme."

Bella ducked her head in embarrassment, looking very much like she would be blushing if she could.

"Thank you." She mumbled, becoming shy at his compliment.

"All better?" He asked her.

"Close enough," she told him honestly.

"Good. We need to talk about your daughter now." He reminded her.

"Yes," I agreed, remembering that Bella hadn't ever told me how Renesmee had misbehaved.

"What do you want to know?" Bella asked Carlisle warily, but I answered her.

"You didn't actually mention what Nessie had done to earn a spanking in the first place." I told her, hoping she would elaborate.

"I'd rather not say." Bella looked at the ground and squirmed in Carlisle's lap. And with her mind, she added, _Please don't make me say this out loud. I'll tell you later._

The problem with that plan was that dad knows her. He knows the only reason why she wouldn't tell me what our daughter did was that it would get someone else in trouble. I did a quick search of my history to make sure that someone wasn't me.

"I'd like you to tell me." Carlisle lifted her chin so that she was looking at him.

"She said a bad word," Bella admitted quickly, trying to minimize the chance that someone would get in trouble. She sighed as she told him the rest. "And when I told her not to say it, she said it again."

"Sweet pea," Carlisle chastised her, "I want the whole story."

"Fine," she huffed, earning a low growl from dad. She shrunk away from him and became much more compliant. "She was playing a video game with Emmett the other day, and she ended up beating him. He blurted out…" Bella paused, and then finished in a whisper, "_F_-ing _H-E-double hockey sticks_."

I chuckled at Bella's innocent way of saying it. She was not one for swearing. Neither was I for that matter. I would have hesitated before I said that word in front of my father, but I would have actually used it if I were quoting someone else. I guessed that she had never actually said that word before. Her innocence made me love her even more.

_Edward._ Carlisle thought to me in a reprimanding tone. I straightened my face immediately.

"She didn't know what it meant." Bella continued. "I didn't want to tell her the actual meaning, and so I told her he was frustrated, and he shouldn't have said that in front of her. I told Emmett to watch his language in front of Renesmee."

"Nessie said that twice, both times, she knew that you disapproved of that word?" Carlisle asked her, and she shook her head.

"Not exactly." Bella told him and then began the story of what led up to that foul language. "Earlier today, we were hunting. She tried to take on a mountain lion, and it ripped her dress. She repeated that choice phrase, and I scolded her, telling her that that word wasn't allowed, and she would be in trouble if I heard her say it again. She told me to _F off…_" Bella explained then added for dad. "I swear I don't know where she heard that one."

"Emmett." I growled, assuming that he had said that to her as well. "I'm going to kill him."

Just as I had finished threatening Emmett's life, two things happened. First, Carlisle reminded me to control my temper, and then Jasper knocked tentatively on the door.

"Yes?" Carlisle invited him in.

"I apologize." Jasper told us remorsefully. "She heard that one from me, not Emmett."

"Why did you choose to teach my granddaughter such coarse language?" Carlisle asked him, raising his eyebrow.

"I didn't mean to let that slip, dad." Jasper told us. "I was in the middle of a disagreement with Emmett, and she walked in and heard me say it."

"I will speak to both you and Emmett later about your choice of language." Carlisle told him. "Those words should not come out of your mouths whether or not Renesmee is near. If you grow accustomed to saying them, the words will, as you say, _slip out_ at inappropriate times."

"Yes, dad." Jasper, properly abashed, left Carlisle's study.

"Now…" dad continued, "your daughter has deliberately hurt Bella emotionally. You will take care of this, or I will."


	2. Chapter 2 - The Interview

**Chapter 2 – The Interview**

**Renesmee POV**

"Jacob!" I whined, drawing his name out. "I promise I'll calm down if you let me out!"

For the fiftieth time, I got no answer. I had been begging him to let me out of my room for the longest time, but he wouldn't budge. On top of that, whenever I tried to leave the room on my own, he would carry me right back inside. I even tried to sneak out the window, but he was outside waiting for me before my foot even hit the ground.

The only answer he gave me was, "Your father will let you out. Until then, stay put."

He only told me once, after that, he completely ignored me except to carry me back to my room if I managed to get out.

I thought I was finally going to get out when daddy got home, but he just spoke with Jacob and went to see Grandpa and Mommy at the big house.

When dad left, I became afraid. Surely Mommy wouldn't tell on me, would she?

I had _sort of_ used my gift to tell her what I thought of the spanking she gave me, and it made her cry. I knew that she didn't want to spank me. She thought I deserved it, but she was afraid that she would seriously hurt me. I let her think that she had. Now, she would think twice before she gave me another spanking. She would probably talk Daddy out of spanking me as well and protect me if he wants to spank me.

Now, I just had to figure out a way to get Jacob to let me out of the room. I couldn't tell him I was hungry. He knew that mommy and I went hunting today. Also, I have already gone to the bathroom like three times, and he said that he wouldn't let me go again. I tried to make him think that I was unjustly suffering, but he wouldn't believe me. I screamed and threw toys, but he never came into the room.

"I'm thirsty!" I yelled, demanding a drink of water.

Nothing, not even a hint that he had heard what I said.

"I said, I'm thirsty!" I repeated, stomping my foot on the ground.

"Enough." My dad suddenly appeared in my room and commanded, even but very firmly. "I've had my fill of this temper tantrum. And I'm sure Jacob's ears are bleeding from having to listen to this nonsense for the last hour."

"Daddy!" I squealed in delight that he had come to let me out of my room. I ran to him with open arms to get a hug, but he stood motionlessly and never attempted to return my affection.

"Come with me." He took me by the hand and led me toward his bedroom.

My heart sank with dread when I figured out what had happened.

"She told you?!" I tried to yank my hand away from Daddy's iron grip, but he didn't allow me to escape.

"Your mother showed me how you used your gift to hurt her." He answered sitting on the spanking chair.

I hated that chair. Daddy always sat in that chair when I was in trouble. And he always gave me five swats on the bottom, telling me that he is disappointed in me.

"Yes." Dad read my thoughts and agreed with me. "But not this time."

I smiled and did a mental celebration. Daddy was going to…

"Give you ten swats." He finished my thought. "And I'm more than disappointed in you, Renesmee Carlie Cullen."

No! The bottom fell out of my stomach. It isn't fair!

"You deliberately hurt your mother, little girl." He explained. "You used foul language, and then when she told you to stop, you were very disrespectful to her. You deserved a spanking and you know it."

He gave me a look that dared me to disagree with what he just said. Uncle Emmett and Uncle Jasper said that word first. Why can they say it, and I can't?

"Your mother and I are not their parents." He answered my thoughts.

"It's not fair!" I shouted out loud this time as I stomped my foot, and Daddy reached around me and gave me a firm swat on my behind.

_Ouch._

"I told you that I've had enough of your little outburst." He reminded me.

I pouted but otherwise remained quite.

"By the way, that doesn't count as one of the ten." He informed me. "And if you continue to engage in these theatrics, you will get the same thing every time."

I gritted my teeth, determined that Daddy wouldn't win. I might have to take this spanking, but I didn't have to let him see that I had given in.

"So much like me." He mumbled, looking disgusted.

I am _nothing_ like you. I thought knowing he could hear what I was thinking.

"Anyway…" He sighed, choosing not to argue with me. "Getting back to your earlier actions," he continued. "Your mother spanked you for your disrespectful words, and you fought her every second of the way."

"You'd fight too if you were being beaten." I argued sullenly.

"Your mother did not beat you, Renesmee." He became very stern, piercing me with his gaze. "But you did everything in your power to convince her that she did. And by the way, if I treated Nana the way you treated Mommy, Grandpa would have me over his knee every night for a week. _And_ since I'm older than you, he would give me more than ten swats."

"More than ten?" I found that hard to believe.

"But since you are still very young, your _mother_," he emphasized that it was Mommy's idea, "asked me to not give you more than ten." His explanation made me feel awful that I had accused Mommy of beating me, but she was the one who asked Daddy not to be too harsh. I ducked my head in shame.

"What did you hope to accomplish with your atrocious actions?" He asked me after reading my thoughts.

"I wanted her to not spank me again… and maybe talk you out of spanking me in the future." I admitted sheepishly.

"Do you know she went to see Grandpa after you planted those thoughts in her head?" He pressed further

"Yes." I nodded, confused where he was going with this.

"Did you know she went to ask him to spank her because she thought she abused you?" He lifted my chin to that I was forced to look him in they eye.

"Did he?" I asked nervously.

"No." Dad told me. "Mommy may be new to discipline, but Grandpa has been around a while. He knew that you had manipulated your mother."

"I'm sorry, Daddy." I told him, really feeling guilty for what I had done to mommy.

"That brings me to the second part of your punishment." Daddy told me, making me wince. "You will write a letter to your mother, apologizing for treating her so badly."

"Okay." I agreed, glad that it wasn't another spanking tomorrow or something like that.

"And you will not leave your room until it's finished, that is, after we go speak with Grandpa. He wants to talk to you tonight after your spanking." He added, making me even more nervous. He chuckled at my thoughts. "He isn't going to add to your spanking."

"Good." I sighed in relief.

"However…" he drawled suggestively, pointing at his lap. I sighed and draped myself over his knees.

He shifted me and put me exactly where he wanted me. And to my horror, Daddy flipped up my dress and hooked his thumbs under my panties. He was going to take them down and spank me on my naked bottom.

"Daddy, no!" I screamed in humiliation, reaching back to stop him from taking down my undergarments.

But Daddy was quicker than I was… and stronger. He deftly pinned my wrists to the middle of my back with one hand, and finished exposing my bottom. I was mortified.

"Embarrassment is part of the punishment." He explained, allowing me to let that sink in while he sat there patiently.

I was taken by surprise when he landed his first, very strong smack.

"Owie!" I howled, not expecting it to hurt that much. Either clothing provided quite a bit of protection, or daddy had decided to spank me harder than usual as well as longer.

"You earned this, sweetheart." Daddy reminded me, again pausing and allowing me to calm down a little. "Mommy would have gotten much worse than this if Grandpa believed that she had abused you."

Again, after he gave me a few moments to think about my actions and what was happening, he gave me another sharp swat.

"I'm sorry!" I sobbed, hoping that he would see that I was remorseful and end the spanking early.

"Not this time." Daddy told me sadly as he landed another swat, not giving me as much time in between as he did before. "I intend for you to learn this lesson well."

"I promise I won't do it again!" I pleaded with him, and definitely meaning every word I spoke. I wouldn't disrespect mommy in that way _ever_.

"I'm glad to hear that, sweetheart." He told me, pausing to answer my thought. "Because if you treat your mother that way again, she will spank you, and then I will." He landed a swat to drive his point home. That's a promise." With that, he swatted me again, right in the middle of my rump. Again, I screamed.

He was silent, though I most certainly was not, for the next three swats, which he seemed to take forever to deliver. By the time he had delivered the last of these three swats, I ceased fighting him to regain control of my hands.

Daddy paused again, and I wished that he would just get it over with. I only knew that he hadn't finished, because he still held my hands securely at my back.

"If I release your hands, will you reach back?" He asked me, confirming my suspicion that he wasn't quite finished.

"Please, daddy, no more!" I ignored his question and begged him to stop. "I've learned my lesson! I promise!"

"You have two more coming, sweetheart." Daddy sounded sad that he had to do this to me, and I thought about how Mommy was also sad, and I made it much harder on her. "I'm glad that you are empathizing with your mother, and I believe that you have learned your lesson, but I need you to understand the consequences of your behavior."

"I won't reach back." I told him. "But please finish quickly."

"Sorry, sweetheart." He told me as he released my hands. "This spanking is on my terms, not yours."

I fought the urge to disobey and reach back to rub the sting out, knowing that while I was in this position, he could easily extend my punishment if I chose to challenge his authority. Instead of subversion, I chose to grab onto Daddy's pants leg. I held my breath, waiting for Daddy to land the next blow. He waited until I let the breath out before he spanked me again. It was in a new spot, one that was really sensitive.

"Owie!" I screamed and started to reach back to cover my rump.

Daddy cleared his throat as I moved my hand off of his pants, and I immediately moved it back to where it was, grasping his pants more tightly, remembering that I had promised to not reach back. Daddy waited until I had calmed down a bit, and struck my behind for the last time exactly on the opposite side that the last one had hit. Again, I shrieked, but this time I fell limply over daddy's lap.

While I cried, daddy fixed my panties and dress. When I calmed down, I got up off of Daddy's lap. Daddy instantly opened his arms to me, and I threw myself into them.

"You're forgiven, sweetheart." He assured me, kissing the top of my head.

He allowed me exactly fifteen minutes of comfort. He promised more after the meeting, but reminded me that Grandpa and Mommy were waiting for me at the big house.

When we got to the big house, Daddy took me into the kitchen. Mommy was already there seated at the table. I ran to her and started crying again.

"I'm sorry, Mommy!" I bawled. "I'm…"

"Shh," Mommy opened her arms and sat me on her lap. "All is forgiven."

Grandpa came into the kitchen and cleared his throat.

"I would like Renesmee to sit on her own chair, Bella." Grandpa told her.

Mommy hugged me more tightly, kissed me on top of my head, and then placed me on my feet in front of a chair for me.

That chair looked very hard. I did not want to sit on it. My behind was still very sore.

"I think I'll just stand." I told Grandpa.

Grandpa didn't like this idea. He narrowed his eyes at me, letting me know that this was not a request.

"Sit." Grandpa pointed to the chair. "Now."

I groaned internally as I gingerly lowered myself down onto the seat.

"If you enjoy sitting comfortably, you will learn to behave yourself." Grandpa told me.

"Yes sir." I answered as respectfully as I could. I had heard Daddy say it one time when he was being scolded, and I assumed it was the answer I should give.

"Renesmee." Mommy said with a smile in her voice as she stood up and walked over to Grandpa. Daddy joined her. "Your father and I, with Grandpa's help have decided on a few rules."

_Wonderful_. I rolled my eyes at her.

"Check the attitude, missy." Daddy scolded me, not appreciating my expression.

"Sorry." I mumbled.

"As I was saying, we have some rules, some for you, some for the family." Mommy continued like I hadn't done anything. "First, your rules."

"I assume I have to be respectful." I guessed.

"Yes, and that includes language, attitude, whining, lying, and lots of other things." Mommy explained. "We can iron out the details later, but for now, as long as you're trying to be respectful, you should be fine."

"Second," Daddy chimed in, "obedience. It should be covered by respectfulness, but I want to drive this point home. If Mommy or I tell you to do something, you will do it. These are our rules for you."

"We have rules in the larger family as well." Grandpa added. "One of which you broke tonight. You are not to use either your heightened senses or extra gifts to manipulate anyone. There are a few exceptions, life or death situations or to protect our family secret. The other rule is this, you will not expose this family to humans." Grandpa paused for effect. "Are we clear?"

"Yes, sir." I nodded to him.

"Good. For the most part, your mother and father will be the ones physically disciplining you because if I did it all of the time, you wouldn't respect them as you should. Your parents are the head of your family." Grandpa emphasized. "But I am the head of the larger family. Therefore, I am to be obeyed as well, and so is Nana. If it is necessary, I will spank you. I will do it if your parents are not present, or in cases of extreme disobedience. Do _not _force Nana to spank you." He finished, very clearly implying that if Nana had to spank me, he would spank me as well.

"Your aunts and uncles can be left in charge of you sometimes, and they are to be respected, but they do not have permission to spank you. They may send you to your room or put you in the corner, but Daddy and I will spank you, if it's necessary. We don't want to put you in the position that everyone in the family is allowed to spank you. That seems cruel." Mommy added. "_Jacob_ is not allowed to spank you or punish you in any way. If he feels that you are hurting yourself or someone else, he may bring you to us, but he is…"

"My imprint?" I finished for her.

"Yes." Mommy nodded. "And that means that you are his equal, not his child."

"Jake can't babysit me anymore?" I asked, kind of bummed. I liked having Jake as my babysitter. He was by far the coolest babysitter. Ever.

"He can." Daddy told me. "But, like your mother said, he will only be allowed to bring you to us."

"But earlier…" I reminded them.

"That will never happen again." Mommy promised, looking very much like she thought it was her fault. "I was…"

"He wasn't really punishing you, sweetheart." Daddy interrupted her, trying to placate her. "Mommy was. Jacob was just making sure you didn't disobey."

"How is that different?" I asked, remembering what had happened and feeling very much like Jacob was in charge, and he was punishing me.

"He wasn't _really _in charge." Daddy told me, reading my thoughts.

"Let's call a spade a spade, Edward." Mommy told him in frustration. "I can't pretend that it didn't happen or try to justify my actions. I left him in charge. Period. And more importantly, she _felt_ like he was the one administering her punishment."

Mommy stared Daddy down. I think she was communicating silently with him because of the intense look on her face, the one she got when she was concentrating hard enough to move her shield so that Daddy could read her mind.

"I will never leave him in that position again." Mommy reiterated. "I wasn't thinking clearly earlier, and..."

"Bella…" Daddy started to argue with her.

"Enough, Edward." Grandpa cut him off. "I think Bella knows more about what your daughter is feeling in this instance than you do."

That seemed very cryptic to me. What was Grandpa trying to say without words? He clearly said more with his mind to Daddy that I wasn't supposed to hear. Daddy became remorseful and nodded to Grandpa and Mommy.

"I apologize, Nessie." Mommy locked eyes with me, letting me know that she felt she had messed up in a big way. I believed she felt that way. It was rare that she would call me _Nessie_. She hated that nickname. She must have really felt strongly about this.

For a moment, I considered pressing my advantage. Since Mommy thought that she had wronged me, maybe I could ask her to talk to Daddy about this letter I still had to write. Maybe she would convince him that it wasn't really necessary.

"Renesmee Cullen!" Daddy cut through my thoughts, growling. "You and I are going to have another _discussion _when we are finished here."

I jumped about a foot off the chair, startled by my dad's reprimand. Unfortunately for my bottom, I landed back on it when I sat back down. I started crying immediately, but not from the pain in my rump. I was ashamed of my thoughts. I wondered if I was destined to spend the rest of my life draped over my father's lap. I couldn't even go an hour without disobeying again.

"Edward!" Mommy stood between Daddy and me in a very defensive stance. Her voice was somewhere between shock and anger. I couldn't believe that she was upset with Daddy, and not me. I was the one who thought about disobeying again.

"Think whatever you like, sweetheart." She added to me, though she was still staring Daddy down. "I'm shielding your thoughts now."

"I'll handle this, Isabella." Grandpa told her in a calm, but very authoritative voice as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "You may go sit with your daughter."

Mommy looked torn between obedience and protectiveness. It took her great effort, but she did manage to nod and walk over to sit with me, pulling me into her lap. Her cool lap felt good on my sore behind.

"We discussed this, not one hour ago, Edward Anthony. Thinking about disobeying and actually disobeying are not the same thing." Grandpa scolded him, making Daddy look like a child. "You may stand in the corner while your wife and I discuss the last rule and the other item with your daughter."

"But I'm her father." Daddy whined in protest, clearly embarrassed that he had been called out in front of me. Grandpa growled at him very lowly. Daddy took a deep breath and obeyed. "Yes, sir."

I was shocked that Daddy had broken a rule that I didn't even know existed. I knew that Daddy had disobeyed before, but I had never seen Grandpa send him to the corner for a time-out. I tried very hard not to giggle at the situation.

"The last rule," Grandpa looked at me and Mommy with a sigh probably slightly upset that I was in her lap, "was also your mother's idea, and I happen to agree with it, wholeheartedly. But this rule is for your father, not you. He is not allowed to punish you for your thoughts."

"Unless you are thinking directly at him in place of talking and do it disrespectfully." Mommy amended Grandpa's rule, and Grandpa nodded in agreement.

"He can, however, prevent you from hurting yourself or others based on your thoughts." Grandpa continued.

"That's why he's in trouble?" I asked. "Because he scolded me for thinking something he didn't like?"

"Yes." Mommy confirmed.

"How much time do you think you would have spent in trouble if I could read your thoughts, Edward and held you accountable for everything that passed through your mind?" Grandpa asked him rhetorically.

"Not as much time as I would have." Uncle Emmett joined us in the kitchen, laughing at Daddy in the corner. Uncle Jasper followed close behind him. Uncle Jasper was more serious. In fact, Uncle Jasper looked nervous.

"You are in enough trouble, young man." Grandpa informed him. "You will not tease Edward."

"What did I do?" Uncle Emmett asked, looking innocent.

"How about… using foul language in front of my granddaughter?" Grandpa pretended to ponder his question and suddenly remember the answer.

"You didn't repeat what I said, did you half-pint?" Uncle Emmett complained.

"Sorry, Uncle Emmett." I apologized to him.

"We shouldn't have said those things in the first place." Uncle Jasper reminded Uncle Emmett.

"Jasper's right." Uncle Emmett admitted. "This is on us, half-pint, not you."

"Then let's not waste any time, gentlemen." Grandpa announced, pulling out two bars of soap. "Open up."

They were both compliant, but it was obvious that they didn't want to do it. I didn't even understand what was going on until Grandpa lathered up one of the bars of soap and washed Uncle Emmett's mouth, tongue and all. He then instructed him to bite down on it and stand in the corner. He immediately started gagging on the soap and bubbles were forming at the sides of his mouth. After he had done the same to Uncle Jasper, he let Daddy out of the corner so that Uncle Jasper could take his place.

"That's disgusting!" I was horrified.

"It's the venom." Grandpa explained. "It dissolves the soap. When one of my children swears in my house, this is the punishment. If I hear you swear, young lady, this is what will happen."

"Except you don't have venom, and the soap won't do that." Daddy laughed and cringed in disgust at my uncles.

"Would you care to join them, Edward Anthony?" Grandpa scolded him and Daddy immediately straightened his face.

"No, sir." He answered Grandpa very contritely.

"What if I don't know it's a bad thing to say?" I asked, bringing them back to the conversation.

"If you hear a word that you don't know, ask about it before you use it." Grandpa told me.

"But mommy didn't really tell me what that other word meant. She just told me not to say it." I told him.

"It was probably embarrassing for her to say that to her very young daughter." He reasoned. "It is a very negative connotation for sexual relations."

"Huh?" I was confused.

"Do you know about sex?" He asked me.

"Kind of." I admitted, remembering Mommy tell me that it was a grown-up expression of love and affection and that it felt good. She also told me that I was born out of that kind of love between her and Daddy.

"Kind of, hmm?" He asked thoughtfully. "Do you know how boys and girls are different?

"Yes." I confirmed. "In our private parts?"

"Sex involves our private parts, and ideally, the two people involved love each other and are trying to make one another feel good." He explained.

"So… that word means sex?" I asked confused as to why it was not appropriate.

"Not exactly." He shook his head and struggled to explain it to me. "Sex is wonderful and beautiful. That other word is meant to be ugly and harsh. It has nothing to do with love. Basically, you invited your mother to go have angry, selfish sex by herself."

"Oh, sorry." I apologized to my mother, very ashamed of having said that to her.

"You're forgiven, sweetheart." She kissed me on top of the head.


End file.
